In the 15 years I’ve been researching and writing about the Garden of Allah Hotel, one thing I’ve learned is that you never know when things will come to the surface. Back in December 2012, I posted a photograph from 1960 showing that of one of the original hotel signs had found a home in Michigan. In 2016, I found a wonderful photo from 1951 showing the sign in all its glory. I never did find out how it came to be in Michigan and worried that its exposure to that extreme weather might be the end of it. And then, out of the blue earlier this week, a collector contacted me to let me know that he now had the sign and it was sitting in his garage until he had the time to restore it. I asked if he would send me a photo – and he did. I’m so relieved that it’s still around and that we might one day see it restored to its former glory.
He’s also got the original neon tubing! He said it mostly broken into pieces but will make recreating it a lot easier:
This is the 1960 photo taken in Michigan:
This shot is from 1951 showing the sign in its original location:
In the 15 years I’ve been researching and writing about the Garden of Allah Hotel, one thing I’ve learned is that you never know when things will come to the surface. Back in December 2012, I posted a photograph from 1960 showing that of one of the original hotel signs had found a home in Michigan. In 2016, I found a wonderful photo from 1951 showing the sign in all its glory. I never did find out how it came to be in Michigan and worried that its exposure to that extreme weather might be the end of it. And then, out of the blue earlier this week, a collector contacted me to let me know that he now had the sign and it was sitting in his garage until he had the time to restore it. I asked if he would send me a photo – and he did. I’m so relieved that it’s still around and that we might one day see it restored to its former glory.
Would this guy be interested in selling?
I doubt it, William. He’s a big-time collector of various LA/Hollywood ephemera.
I hope the restored sign will have the neon. That would be spectacular.
Keep us posted.
My understanding that the owner intends to fully restore the sign, neon and all!
The bottom photo of the man light his pipe and the woman checking her nylons… the stuff of dreams